A while ago I thought I’d try a buy nothing challenge. To be honest I can’t remember how I got on, which probably means, not very well.

Now Melissa over on the fabulous Green parent blog has reminded me that Buy Nothing Day is at the end of the this month and many people join in with a buy it nothing MONTH.

I tentatively feel like joining in, but it’s bringing up all sorts of issues for me. It’s been interesting to observe my thoughts and it’s going to be a great personal challenge to observe my behaviour this month.

I can be a bit of an impulsive buyer. Nothing lavish, but I sometimes drop the odd ‘extra’ into the shopping basket and there are some people for whom buying a second hand gift, or making something would just not be ok at all (I’d like to hear how people get around this - what do you do with the people in your life for who receiving a second hand / hand made gift would totally horrify them?)

I also find it hard not buying this with a child, I’ll admit it. I think if it were just me I could be very frugal, but I tend to buy things I don’t need because I’m thinking about my daughter. Ok, most of the time it’s something yummy from a charity shop, but in the supermarket her pester power can certainly grind me down sometimes.

So this month is all about buying only necessities. For me that is food, fuel for the car and paying bills.  I tend to stash food so I could use this month as an excuse to use up things in the store cupboard and freezer.

Fortunately I never pay to get into entertainment places for dd We take advantage of all the great things in our area - trees, streams, animals and, fields, so that won’t be a problem. Neither do I spend money on going out myself. I use the library, so instead of Amazon purchases I’ll be regularly checking their online catalogue and ordering things in. Although they charge 50p for this service; does that count? Hmmmm, probably it does, so no book ordering either then.

I’m going to jump in and see how I get on. Watch this space………

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